ATLANTA, Ga. — It seemed at times in Michigan State’s Sweet 16 meeting with Ole Miss on Friday that a sizeable deficit was going to be too much this time for the resilient Spartans.
But the fortune wasn’t going to run out just yet.
No. 2-seeded Michigan State found a way yet again, coming out on top in a 73-70 victory over the No. 6-seeded Rebels, while clinching an 11th Elite Eight appearance for Tom Izzo.
The Spartans were led by a bounce-back performance from freshman guard Jase Richardson, who recorded a team-high 20 points while grabbing six boards. A total of four Spartans finished in double figures in the scoring column, including sophomore forward Coen Carr, who scored 15 in what was his first career start.
Senior guard Jaden Akins tallied 13, and junior guard Tre Holloman scored 10.
Junior center Carson Cooper led the rebounding effort for Michigan State, bringing down a team-high seven rebounds, which also tied the game high.
It was another poor first half from the Spartans, who went just 6-17 from the field through the first 16 minutes and committed seven turnovers.
The offensive struggles for Michigan State were evident early on, turning the ball over three times with just over 4 minutes elapsed. It was a defensive battle on both fronts, as the score was just 7-6 through the first 7 minutes.
The scoring would then pick up when Ole Miss senior guard Sean Pedulla drained one from downtown to make it a 10-6 game, igniting a combined 12-point scoring burst between the two teams in a matter of just over 2 minutes.
That stretch included yet another triple from Pedulla. He finished the contest with a game-high 24 points.
Shortly after that, Rebels senior guard Jaylen Murray would drill one from deep to extend his team’s lead to 18-11. Before things could start getting out of hand, Richardson answered with a 3 of his own to make it a two-possession game again with just over 10 minutes to go in the half.
That was the Spartans’ first 3-pointer of the half.
Michigan State went down by as many as 8 before senior forward Frankie Fidler gave it the boost it needed with a converted and-1.
But it wouldn’t take long for Ole Miss to stretch its lead again, this time by 10, with a 7-0 run sparked by a triple from Rebels senior forward Jaemyn Brakefield.
Michigan State regrouped after a timeout, though, as it drained back-to-back buckets from deep — one from Richardson and one from Carr.
The Rebels punched back, but a third triple from Richardson would make it a 5-point game with just over a minute to play. On the Spartans’ next possession, Akins joined in with a 3-pointer of his own,
After all of that, Michigan State found itself down by just a bucket at the break.
The game remained close for the early portion of the second half, but Michigan State was still unable to gain an edge.
The game would start to get away from the Spartans again after junior forward Malik Dia sent one in from range, igniting a 11-2 run for Ole Miss that put the Rebels up 9 with 12:15 to play.
But Michigan State would answer with its own run, an 8-0 stretch that was capped off by a corner 3 from Richardson. Just like that, the Spartans were back within 1 with under 10-and-a-half minutes remaining.
Less than 3 minutes later, a pair of free throws from Cooper would give Michigan State its first lead of the game.
After a tough finish from Fidler extended the Spartans’ lead to 3, a crucial triple from Pedulla tied it right back up with under 7 minutes to go.
What then happened in the final 5 minutes was what March is aall about.
Ole Miss senior guard Matthew Murrell would connect from beyond the arc to regain the lead for his Rebels.
But a steal by redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. led to a breakaway slam from none other than Carr, bringing the house down with perhaps his most iconic jam yet and putting the Spartans back on top with just over 4 minutes to play.
The highlight was answered with another 3 from Pedulla, though, before back-to-back buckets from Richardson and Fears put the Spartans back up 2 with just over 3 minutes remaining.
The game was all knotted up with a minute-and-a-half to go, but two clutch layups from Akins and Cooper would give the Spartans a 4-point padding with just 40 seconds left on the clock.
Pedulla would cut into the lead with another basket, but a successful inbound by the Spartans would allow them to find Akins on their end of the court, forcing Ole Miss to intentionally foul.
Akins drained both free throws, giving his team a two-possession lead yet again, now with under half a minute to go.
It continued to come down to the chairty stripe from there, and despite a triple from Murrell at the buzzer, Michigan State prevailed by 3 points.
The Spartans will await the winner of No 1-seeded Auburn/No. 5-seeded Michigan in the Elite Eight, which will take place at State Farm Arena on Sunday.
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